There’s a new face at the Albert Lea Tribune. Kelli Lageson comes to the Trib staff at 808 W. Front St. after working across the street at 906 W. Front St.

She started at the Kwik Trip at Main Street and Garfield Avenue when she 16. In college, she worked at the Kwik Trip on Madison Avenue in Mankato. After graduating college, she worked at the Kwik Trip on Front Street.

“It feels weird to not be working at a gas station,” she said.

The Tribune did a feature in October on three sisters who worked at Kwik Trip — Kelli, 21, Jenna, 24, and Shelby, 17. The headline became a nickname: “Gas station girls.”

After the story one day at the store, Kelli Lageson asked Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer if there were any jobs at the Tribune. He said there might be an opening in the mailroom. She laughed and corrected him. She has a degree in mass communications from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with an emphasis in journalism. Were there jobs in the newsroom?

Earlier this month, when a job opening came as a result of photographer and page designer Brie Cohen leaving, Tribune Managing Editor Tim Engstrom decided that replacing the vacancy with a reporter and page designer might fill coverage needs better than a photographer. Schmeltzer mentioned the conversation he had with Lageson. She interviewed with Engstrom and later got the job.

Lageson will cover what’s called the county, schools and health beats. It includes education, county government, social services, medical services, rural areas, agriculture, weather and small towns in the Albert Lea vicinity. The education coverage ranges from preschools all the way to colleges.

Lageson was raised on a farm her parents, Ron and Brenda Lageson, rent two miles north of Manchester. She graduated last July from MSU.

Lageson graduated from Albert Lea High School in 2006. She played the flute in the high school marching and concert bands and was on the staff of the Ahlahasa student newspaper. At MSU, she was on the staff of the Reporter student newspaper.

“I’ve always been curious,” she said.

Albert Leans might see her running on the Blazing Star Trail, bowling at Holiday Lanes, catching a movie at Cinema 7 or shopping at local stores. She said she likes to shop.

She likes to read, too. The latest book she read was “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave.